CN115892225A

CN115892225A - Vehicle front structure

Info

Publication number: CN115892225A
Application number: CN202210501298.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 姜铨雄; 闵宪植
Original assignee: Hyundai Motor Co; Kia Corp
Current assignee: Hyundai Motor Co; Kia Corp
Priority date: 2021-08-27
Filing date: 2022-05-09
Publication date: 2023-04-04
Also published as: US20230065302A1; DE102022110542A1; KR20230031731A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure including a pair of front side members, a pair of fender upper members respectively located above the pair of front side members, a bumper back beam connecting front ends of the pair of front side members, and a front end module connected to the pair of front side members and the pair of fender upper members.

Description

Vehicle front structure

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims the benefit of korean patent application No. 10-2021-0114284, filed on 8/27/2021, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present application relates to a vehicle front structure.

Background

The frame of a vehicle is a structure designed to mount chassis parts and/or a vehicle body, and should be sufficiently protected from partial or total damage caused by deformation, torsion, tension, compression and/or vibration due to the propelling force of the vehicle, the braking action, the centrifugal force during steering, impact from the road surface, vertical load due to the weight of the vehicle body, and various reaction forces. The structure thereof should be able to sufficiently absorb impact energy applied to the vehicle in the event of a collision.

Due to the diversification of the automotive market, a vehicle body structure is being variously converted from an existing monocoque structure to a novel structure, such as a special vehicle (PBV) frame or a space frame, to meet the use of each vehicle. In particular, low cost Electric Vehicles (EVs) need to break body structures created by existing methods to maximize profitability.

The body of the existing vehicle uses a pressed steel material and an aluminum material, and thus the material cost and the investment cost thereof may be relatively high.

The above information described in this background section is for background purposes to aid in understanding the inventive concept and may include any technical concept not considered prior art known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure. The specific embodiment relates to a vehicle front structure designed to disperse and distribute loads transmitted to a front portion of a vehicle in three directions.

Embodiments of the present invention can solve the problems occurring in the prior art while completely maintaining the advantages achieved by the prior art.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a vehicle front structure capable of significantly reducing manufacturing costs thereof by using a relatively inexpensive material, such as mass-produced steel pipe, as compared to a pressed steel material and an aluminum material.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle front structure may include a pair of front side members, a pair of fender upper members respectively located above the pair of front side members, a bumper back beam connecting front ends of the pair of front side members, and a front end module connected to the pair of front side members and the pair of fender upper members.

Since the pair of front side members, the pair of fender upper members, the bumper back beam, the front end module, and the plurality of connecting members are coupled to each other, the vehicle front structure can be formed into a compact module.

Each fender upper member may connect the front end module and a corresponding front pillar, and the fender upper member may extend in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

Since the front end module is connected to the front pillar through the fender upper member, an upper load path can be defined by the fender upper member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a part of the impact load transmitted to the front end module and/or the bumper back beam can be transmitted to the front pillar through the fender upper member.

In the existing vehicle, the impact load transmitted to the front end module and/or the bumper back beam is transmitted to the front pillar through the front side member and/or the front sub-frame, and therefore, the impact load is highly likely to be transmitted to the battery assembly disposed under the floor of the vehicle, resulting in poor collision performance of the battery assembly. On the other hand, in the vehicle front structure according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention, since the fender upper member connects the front end module and the corresponding front pillar, it is possible to define the upper load path extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle above the front side member, and a part of the impact load can be transmitted to the front pillar through the fender upper member, and therefore it is possible to minimize or prevent the transmission of the impact load to the battery assembly disposed below the floor of the vehicle. Therefore, the crash performance of the battery assembly can be significantly improved. That is, by increasing the number of load paths defined along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the impact load can be more evenly distributed.

Each fender upper member may include: a first extension portion connected to the front end module, a second extension portion connected to the front pillar, and a shock absorber bracket mounted between the first extension portion and the second extension portion.

Since the shock absorber bracket is installed between the first extension portion and the second extension portion, the load transmitted to the shock absorber bracket may be uniformly distributed through the first extension portion and the second extension portion.

The first extension portion may include a first attachment member disposed at a rear thereof, the second extension portion may include a second attachment member disposed at a front thereof, and the first extension portion and the second extension portion may be attached to an outer surface of the shock absorber bracket to surround the shock absorber bracket.

Since the first attachment piece of the first extension portion and the second attachment piece of the second extension portion are attached to the outer surface of the shock absorber bracket so as to surround the shock absorber bracket in a ring form, the shock absorber bracket can be stably and securely supported to the first extension portion and the second extension portion.

The first extension portion and the second extension portion may be made of mass-produced steel pipes having a closed cross-section, and a sectional area of the first extension portion may be the same as a sectional area of the second extension portion.

The shock absorber bracket may include a first plate and a second plate mounted on the first plate, and the first plate and the second plate may be combined to have a cavity defined therein.

Since the shock absorber bracket is designed to have a closed cross section by combining the first plate and the second plate, the rigidity of the shock absorber bracket at the mounting point can be improved.

The vehicle front structure may further include a plurality of connecting members that connect each fender upper member and the corresponding front side member in the height direction of the vehicle.

Since the connecting member connects the fender upper member and the corresponding front-side member in the height direction of the vehicle, the load transmitted from the wheel to the shock absorber and the shock absorber bracket can be uniformly distributed to the fender upper member and the front-side member through the connecting member.

The plurality of connecting members may include a first connecting member adjacent to the front end module and a second connecting member spaced apart from the first connecting member toward a rear of the vehicle.

The two connecting members can reliably connect the fender upper member and the front side member in the height direction of the vehicle, thereby evenly distributing the vertical load received from the wheel.

The first connection member and the second connection member may be made of mass-produced steel pipes having a closed section, and a sectional area of the first connection member may be the same as a sectional area of the second connection member.

Each front side member may include a pair of extension portions provided at a front end thereof, the pair of extension portions may define an opening or a groove therebetween, each end portion of the bumper back beam may be inserted or fitted into the opening of the corresponding front side member, and the pair of extension portions may be coupled to the end portions of the bumper back beam.

Since each end portion of the bumper back beam is inserted or fitted into the opening of the corresponding front side member, and the pair of extension portions are joined to the end portions of the bumper back beam, the joining rigidity between the bumper back beam and the front end of the front side member can be improved.

Each extension portion may have a recess facing the bumper back Liang Aojin.

The rigidity of the extended portion can be increased by the recess, and therefore the rigidity of the bond between the extended portion of the front side member and the bumper back beam can be significantly improved.

Each of the extended portions and the bumper back beam may be fixed by connecting a fastener with the recess.

Accordingly, each of the extension portions can be firmly coupled to the bumper back beam by the recess and the fastener, and thus the coupling rigidity between the extension portion of the front side member and the bumper back beam can be significantly improved.

Each front side member may be made of a mass-produced steel pipe having a closed cross section.

The front end module may include an upper member, a lower member positioned below the upper member, and a pair of side members connecting both ends of the upper member and both ends of the lower member, respectively.

Each of the upper member, the lower member, and the pair of side members may be made of mass-produced steel pipes having a closed cross-section.

The upper member and each side member may have the same cross-sectional area; the cross-sectional area of the lower member may be greater than the cross-sectional area of the upper member and the cross-sectional area of the side member.

The bumper back beam may be made of a high tensile strength steel plate.

Since the bumper back beam directly receives an impact load at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle, it needs to be made of a high tensile strength steel plate.

A pair of fender upper members may be connected to the upper cross member by a pair of strut rods.

Since the pair of fender upper members are connected to the upper cross member by the pair of stay bars, the lateral moment acting on the pair of fender upper members can be effectively cancelled out.

Drawings

The above and other objects, features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description presented in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows a vehicle front structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which is attached to a vehicle body frame;

fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a vehicle front structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a front side member and a bumper back beam combined in the vehicle front structure shown in fig. 2;

FIG. 4 showsbase:Sub>A cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a modification to the embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows another modification to the embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 shows a top view of a left side portion of the vehicle front structure shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows a side view of a left side portion of the vehicle front structure shown in FIG. 2; and

fig. 10 shows a process of assembling a vehicle body frame and a vehicle front structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Description of reference numerals:

1: lower frame

2: front column

3: roof rail

4: wind screen component

5: upper cross member

10: vehicle front structure

11: front side member

11a: opening of the container

11b,11c: extension part

14a: concave part

14b: fastening piece

12: mudguard upper part component

13: bumper back beam

15: front end module

16: first connecting member

17: second connecting member

21: first extension part

21a: first attachment

22: second extension part

22a: second attachment

23: shock absorber support

31: upper member

32: lower member

33: a side member.

Detailed Description

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same or equivalent elements throughout. Moreover, detailed descriptions of well-known technologies associated with the embodiments of the present invention will be omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the embodiments of the present invention.

Terms such as first, second, A, B, (a) and (b) may be used to describe elements in exemplary embodiments of the present invention. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element, and the essential features, order, or sequence of the respective elements are not limited by these terms. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical or scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Terms defined in a general dictionary should be interpreted as having the same meaning as the context in the related art, and should not be interpreted as having an ideal or excessive form unless explicitly defined in the present application.

Fig. 1 shows a frame of a vehicle to which a vehicle front structure 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention is applied.

Referring to fig. 1, a frame of a vehicle may include: a lower frame 1, a pair of front pillars 2, a pair of roof rails 3, a pair of windshield members 4, and an upper cross member 5, the pair of front pillars 2 being arranged in front of the lower frame 1; a pair of roof side rails 3 are connected to the pair of front pillars 2, respectively; the pair of windshield members 4 extend obliquely from the pair of roof side rails 3 to the pair of fender upper members 12; an upper cross member 5 connects a pair of front pillars 2.

The lower frame 1 may include a plurality of longitudinal members, a plurality of cross members, a pair of side members 1b, and a front cross member 1a connecting the pair of side members 1 b. A pair of side members 1b may be spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the vehicle, and each side member 1b may extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

The pair of front pillars 2 may be spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the vehicle, and each front pillar 2 may extend in the height direction of the vehicle. Each front pillar 2 may extend from a corresponding side sill 1b of the lower frame 1 to a corresponding windshield member 4. The bottom end of the front pillar 2 may be coupled to the side sill 1b of the lower frame 1, and the top end of the front pillar 2 may be coupled to the windshield member 4.

The upper cross member 5 may extend in the width direction of the vehicle, and the ends of the upper cross member 5 may be coupled to the corresponding front pillars 2, respectively.

A vehicle front structure 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be connected to a lower frame 1, a pair of front pillars 2, and a pair of windshield members 4.

Referring to fig. 1 to 3, a vehicle front structure 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include: a pair of front side members 11, a pair of fender upper members 12, a bumper back beam 13, and a front end module 15, the pair of fender upper members 12 being disposed above the pair of front side members 11; the bumper back beam 13 connects the front ends of the pair of front side members 11; the front end module 15 is connected to the pair of front side members 11 and the pair of fender upper members 12.

The pair of front side members 11 may be spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the vehicle, and each front side member 11 may extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In particular, the front side member 11 may be made of a steel pipe having an angular section or a circular section, which is mass-produced, with a cavity defined therein, so that the front side member 11 may have a closed section.

Each front side member 11 may extend from the front cross member 1a of the lower frame 1 of the vehicle body toward the front of the vehicle. The rear ends of the front side members 11 may be coupled to the front cross member 1a of the lower frame 1 using fasteners, welding, and/or the like, and the front ends of the front side members 11 may be coupled to the corresponding ends of the bumper back beam 13 using fasteners, welding, and/or the like.

Referring to fig. 3 and 4, each front side member 11 may have an opening or groove 11a provided at a front end thereof, and the opening 11a may be precisely formed in the front side member 11 by laser processing. Each end of the bumper back beam 13 may be inserted or fitted into the opening 11a of the corresponding front side member 11. The opening or recess 11a may have a U-shaped or L-shaped cross section complementary to at least a portion of the exterior of the bumper back beam 13. The front side member 11 may include a pair of

extension portions

11b and 11c provided at a front end thereof, and the opening 11a may be defined by the pair of

extension portions

11b and 11 c. A pair of

extension portions

11b and 11c may be coupled to each otherThis space, the opening 11a is located therebetween, and each of the extending

portions

11b and 11c may extend in the longitudinal direction of the front side member 11. Each end of the bumper back beam 13 may be inserted or fitted into the opening 11a of the corresponding front side member 11, and the

extended portions

11b and 11c of the front side member 11 and the bumper back beam 13 may be welded using a fastener (e.g., CO) ₂ Welded) or the like. Since the end portion of the bumper back beam 13 is inserted into and coupled to the corresponding opening 11a of the front side member 11, the coupling rigidity between the bumper back beam 13 and the front end of the front side member 11 can be improved, so that the front end of the front side member 11 can be firmly fixed to the bumper back beam 13.

Referring to fig. 5, the

extended portions

11b and 11c of each front side member 11 may have respective recesses or recessed ribs 14a, and the recesses 14a may be recessed toward the bumper back beam 13 from the

extended portions

11b and 11c of the front side member 11, respectively. The

extended portions

11b,11c may be joined to the bumper back beam 13 by welding and/or the like. The rigidity of the

extended portions

11b and 11c can be increased by the recessed portion 14a, and therefore the rigidity of the joint between the

extended portions

11b and 11c of the front side member 11 and the bumper back beam 13 can be significantly improved.

Referring to fig. 6, each of the

extension portions

11b and 11c of the front side member 11 may be coupled to the bumper back beam 13 using a fastener 14 b. Since the fastener 14b is attached to the recess 14a of each of the

extension portions

11b and 11c, the

extension portions

11b and 11c and the corresponding end portions of the bumper back beam 13 can be firmly fixed. Accordingly, each of the

extension portions

11b and 11c can be coupled to the bumper back beam 13 through the recess portion 14a and the fastener 14b, and thus the mounting rigidity between the

extension portions

The pair of fender upper members 12 may be spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the vehicle, and each fender upper member 12 may extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The fender upper members 12 may be spaced upwardly from the corresponding front side members 11.

Referring to fig. 2, 7 and 8, each fender upper member 12 may connect the front end module 15 and the front pillar 2. Specifically, the fender upper member 12 may include: a first extension portion 21, a second extension portion 22, and a shock absorber bracket 23, the first extension portion 21 being connected to the front end module 15; the second extension portion 22 is connected to the front pillar 2; the damper bracket 23 is installed between the first extension portion 21 and the second extension portion 22. Since the shock absorber bracket 23 is installed between the first and

second extension portions

21 and 22, the load transmitted to the shock absorber bracket 23 can be uniformly distributed through the first and

second extension portions

21 and 22.

The first extension portion 21 may extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the front end of the first extension portion 21 may be welded (e.g., CO) using a fastener ₂ Welded) and/or the like to the front end module 15 so that the first extension portion 21 may face the front of the vehicle. The second extension portion 22 may extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the rear end of the second extension portion 22 may be welded (e.g., CO) using fasteners ₂ Welded) and/or the like to the front pillar 2 so that the second extending portion 22 may face the rear of the vehicle.

Referring to fig. 7, the axis of the first extension portion 21 may be offset in the width direction of the vehicle with respect to the axis of the second extension portion 22. For example, the second extension portion 22 may be closer to the outside of the vehicle than the first extension portion 21, and the first extension portion 21 may be closer to the center of the vehicle than the second extension portion 22.

The first extension part 21 may include a first attachment 21a provided at the rear thereof, and the first attachment 21a may be bent toward the front of the second extension part 22. That is, the first attachment piece 21a may be bent from the rear of the first extension portion 21 toward the outside of the vehicle.

The second extending portion 22 may include a second attachment piece 22a provided at a front portion thereof, and the second attachment piece 22a may be bent toward a rear portion of the first extending portion 21. That is, the second attachment 22a may be bent from the front of the second extension portion 22 toward the center of the vehicle.

The first and

second extension portions

21 and 22 may face each other at both sides of the shock absorber bracket 23 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and thus the load transmitted to the shock absorber bracket 23 may be more uniformly dispersed.

The first and

second extension parts

21 and 22 may be made of steel pipes having an angular section or a circular section, which are mass-produced, and have a cavity defined therein, so that the first and

second extension parts

21 and 22 may have a closed section. The first extension portion 21 may have the same sectional area, shape and size as the second extension portion 22.

Referring to fig. 7, the first attachment 21a may be welded (e.g., CO) ₂ Welded), attached to a portion of the outer surface of the shock absorber bracket 23 using fasteners, and/or the like, and the second attachment 22a may be welded (e.g., CO) ₂ Welded), attached to the remainder of the outer surface of the shock absorber bracket 23 using fasteners, and/or the like. The first attachment piece 21a may surround a portion of the outer surface of the shock absorber bracket 23, and the second attachment piece 22a may surround the remaining portion of the outer surface of the shock absorber bracket 23, so that the first and

second attachment pieces

21a and 22a may surround the outer surface of the shock absorber bracket 23 in a ring form. Therefore, the damper bracket 23 can be stably and firmly supported to the first and

second extension portions

21 and 22.

The free end of the first attachment 21a may be welded (e.g., CO) using fasteners ₂ Welded) and/or the like to second attachment member 22a, and the free end of second attachment member 22a may be secured using fasteners, welding (e.g., CO) ₂ Welding) and/or the like to the first attachment member 21a.

Referring to fig. 8, the damper bracket 23 may include a mounting hole 23a provided at the center thereof, and the top end of the damper may be mounted in the mounting hole 23 a. The damper bracket 23 may include a first plate 24 and a second plate 25 disposed above the first plate 24. The inner periphery of the first plate member 24 and the inner periphery of the second plate member 25 may be welded (e.g., CO) ₂ Welding) and/or the like, and the outer periphery of the first plate member 24 and the outer periphery of the second plate member 25 may be tightly joined by welding (e.g., CO) ₂ Welding) and/or the like. First plate 24 and second plate 25 may have a cavity 26 defined therein. Since the damper bracket 23 has a closed cross section by combining the first plate member 24 and the second plate member 25, the rigidity of the damper bracket 23 at the mounting point can be improved.

In the existing vehicle, a damper bracket (also referred to as a bumper shell, a damper shell, or a suspension shell) is connected between a fender upper member and a front pillar, but an additional reinforcement member is required for increasing the rigidity of the damper bracket. Therefore, the manufacturing cost and weight may be relatively increased.

On the other hand, in the vehicle front structure according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the shock absorber bracket 23 may be integrally coupled to the fender upper member 12, and the fender upper member 12 may connect the front end module 15 and the front pillar 2 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, so the manufacturing cost and weight of the vehicle front structure may be relatively reduced.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, a pair of strut rods 6 may extend from the upper cross member 5 toward a pair of fender upper members 12, respectively. The pair of strut bars 6 may be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the upper cross member 5. The top end of each strut bar 6 may be connected to a portion of the upper cross member 5 adjacent to the end of the upper cross member 5, and the bottom end of the strut bar 6 may be connected to the first extension 21 of the corresponding fender upper member 12. That is, the pair of fender upper members 12 may be connected to the upper cross member 5 by the pair of stay bars 6.

The pillar braces 6 may connect the upper cross member 5 and the first extending portions 21 of the corresponding fender upper members 12, and the pair of front side members 11 and the pair of fender upper members 12 may be spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the vehicle, so that lateral moments acting on the pair of front side members 11 and the pair of fender upper members 12 may be cancelled by the pair of pillar braces 6.

The bumper back beam 13 may extend in the width direction of the vehicle, and the bumper back beam 13 may connect front ends of the pair of front side members 11. Each end of the bumper back beam 13 may be coupled to a front end of the corresponding front side member 11. Specifically, as shown in fig. 3 and 4, the end portion of the bumper back beam 13 may be inserted into and coupled to the opening 11a of the corresponding front side member 11.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the bumper back beam 13 may be made of a high tensile strength steel plate by hot stamping (hot stamping), hot forming (hot forming), press quenching (press hardening), and/or roll forming (roll forming).

The front end module 15 may be a frame that supports heat exchangers such as radiators, condensers, and intercoolers.

Specifically, the front-end module 15 may include: an upper member 31, a lower member 32, and a pair of side members 33, the lower member 32 being located below the upper member 31; a pair of side members 33 connect both ends of the upper member 31 and both ends of the lower member 32, respectively. The front end module 15 may have a cavity defined by an upper member 31, a lower member 32, and a pair of side members 33.

The upper member 31 and the lower member 32 may extend in the width direction of the vehicle, and the pair of side members 33 may extend in the height direction of the vehicle.

Each of the upper member 31, the lower member 32, and the side members 33 may be made of steel pipes having a prismatic section or a circular section, which are mass-produced, with a cavity defined therein, so that the upper member 31, the lower member 32, and the side members 33 may have a closed section.

The upper member 31 and each side member 33 may have the same cross-sectional area. The sectional area of the lower member 32 may be larger than that of the upper member 31 and that of the side member 33 so that the lower member 32 can directly support the bottom of the heat exchanger.

A pair of fender upper members 12 may be connected to the top end of the front end module 15. In particular, the fender upper member 12 may be welded (e.g., CO) using fasteners ₂ Welded) and/or the like to the upper member 31 of the front end module 15. Referring to fig. 4, each side member 33 may extend through the

holes

11d and 11e of the corresponding front side member 11, and the side members 33 may be welded (e.g., CO) ₂ Welded) and/or the like to the corresponding front side member 11. Thus, the front end module 15 may directlyIs connected to the front side members 11, so that the load transmitted to the front end module 15 can be transmitted to the front pillars 2 through the front side members 11.

The vehicle front structure 10 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of connecting

members

16 and 17, the plurality of connecting

members

16 and 17 connecting the fender upper member 12 and the front side member 11 in the height direction of the vehicle.

Referring to fig. 2 and 9, the plurality of

connection members

16 and 17 may include a pair of first connection members 16 and a pair of second connection members 17.

The pair of first linking members 16 may be spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the vehicle, and the pair of first linking members 16 may be closer to the front end module 15 than the pair of second linking members 17. Each first connecting member 16 may extend straight in the height direction of the vehicle, and the first connecting member 16 may connect the corresponding fender upper member 12 and the corresponding front side member 11 in the height direction of the vehicle. The top end of the first connecting member 16 may be fastened, welded (e.g., CO) ₂ Welded) and/or the like to the first extension 21 of the fender upper member 12, and the bottom end of the first attachment member 16 may be fastened, welded (e.g., CO), using fasteners ₂ Welded) and/or the like to the front side member 11. The first coupling member 16 may be made of a steel pipe having an angular section or a circular section, which is mass-produced, with a cavity defined therein, so that the first coupling member 16 may have a closed section.

The pair of second connecting members 17 may be spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the vehicle, and each second connecting member 17 may be spaced apart from the corresponding first connecting member 16 toward the rear of the vehicle. The second connecting member 17 may extend straight in the height direction of the vehicle, and the second connecting member 17 may connect the corresponding fender upper member 12 and the corresponding front side member 11 in the height direction of the vehicle. The top end of the second connecting member 17 may be welded (e.g., CO) using a fastener ₂ Welded) and/or the like to the first extension portion 21 of the fender upper member 12, and the bottom end of the second connecting member 17 may be fastened, welded, or the likeTo (e.g. CO) ₂ Welded) and/or the like to the front side member 11. In particular, the top end of the second connecting member 17 may use fasteners, welding (e.g., CO) ₂ Welded) and/or the like to the first attachment piece 21a of the first extension portion 21 adjacent to the damper bracket 23, the second connecting member 17 can increase the rigidity of the damper bracket 23 at the mounting point. The second connection member 17 may be made of a steel pipe having an angular section or a circular section, which is mass-produced, with a cavity defined therein, so that the second connection member 17 may have a closed section.

The sectional area, shape, and size of the first connecting member 16 may be the same as those of the second connecting member 17.

Since the plurality of connecting

members

16 and 17 connect the fender upper member 12 and the front side member 11 in the height direction of the vehicle, the load vertically transmitted from the wheel to the shock absorber and the shock absorber bracket 23 can be uniformly distributed in the height direction of the vehicle by the plurality of connecting

members

16 and 17. That is, the plurality of connecting

members

16 and 17 may stably support the vertical load received from the wheel.

In particular, the pair of first connecting members 16 and the pair of second connecting members 17 may vertically connect the fender upper member 12 and the front side member 11 at both sides of the vehicle front structure 10, so that the torsional rigidity of the vehicle front structure 10 may be significantly increased (e.g., 21.4%) as compared to the related art.

Referring to fig. 9, the vehicle front structure 10 according to the example embodiment of the invention may further include a front sub frame 8 disposed below the pair of front side members 11. The front subframe 8 may be connected from the lower member 32 of the front end module 15 to the rear of the front side member 11 or the front cross member 1a of the lower frame 1.

In existing vehicles, since the fender upper member is not connected to the front pillar, the load transmitted to the bumper back beam and/or the front end module may be distributed along the front side members and/or the front sub-frame. In particular, most of the impact load may be transmitted to the battery assembly through the front sub-frame, resulting in poor crash performance of the battery assembly.

Meanwhile, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a load path may be defined as shown in fig. 9, as follows: since the fender upper member 12 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, an upper load path L1 may be defined along the fender upper member 12; since the front side member 11 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle below the fender upper member 12, an intermediate load path L2 can be defined along the front side member 11; and since the front subframe 8 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle below the front side members 11, a lower load path L3 can be defined along the front subframe 8. Therefore, the impact load transmitted to the bumper back beam 13 and/or the front end module 15 can be uniformly distributed through three paths, i.e., the upper load path L1, the middle load path L2, and the lower load path L3. In particular, a part of the impact load may be transmitted to the front pillar 2 through the upper load path L1, and thus the transmission of the impact load to the battery assembly may be minimized or prevented. Therefore, the crash performance of the battery assembly can be significantly improved.

Referring to fig. 9, since the first connecting member 16 extends in the height direction of the vehicle, a first vertical load path L4 may be defined along the first connecting member 16, and since the second connecting member 17 extends in the height direction of the vehicle, a second vertical load path L5 may be defined along the second connecting member 17. Therefore, the first and second connecting

members

16 and 17 can stably support the vertical load received from the wheel. Further, since the pillar bar 6 connecting the fender upper member 12 and the upper cross member 5 extends obliquely toward the first extending portion 21 of the fender upper member 12, an oblique load path L6 can be defined along the pillar bar 6. Thus, the load can be evenly distributed between the fender upper member 12 and the upper cross member 5.

Referring to fig. 10, a vehicle front structure 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a pair of front side members 11, a pair of fender upper members 12, a front end module 15, and a bumper back beam 13, which form a single module. Further, since the front cross member 1a of the lower frame 1 is joined to the rear ends of the pair of front side members 11, the vehicle front structure 10 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include the front cross member 1a. A pair of pillar braces 6 may be loaded vertically and downwardly on the modular vehicle front structure 10, and the lower frame 1 and the rear frame 9 may be loaded and assembled to the rear of the vehicle front structure 10. Since the vehicle front structure 10 is modularized, the assembly process thereof can be simplified and the warehouse unit can be minimized.

As described above, the front side member 11, the first and second extending

portions

21 and 22 of the fender upper member 12, the upper member 31, the lower member 32 and the side members 33 of the front end module 15, the first connecting member 16, and the second connecting member 17 can be made of mass-produced steel pipes having closed sections, and thus the weight and material cost thereof can be reduced.

As described above, according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle front structure may form a space frame, so that modularization thereof may be facilitated. By applying the existing mass-produced steel pipe to each component (front end module, fender upper member, front side member, bumper back beam, etc.) of the vehicle front structure, material and investment costs can be significantly reduced.

Although the present invention has been described hereinabove with reference to the exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as provided by the following claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle front structure comprising:

a pair of front side members;

a pair of fender upper members located above the pair of front side members, respectively;

a bumper back beam connecting front ends of the pair of front side members; and

a front end module connected to the pair of front side members and the pair of fender upper members.

2. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein:

each fender upper member connects the front end module and a corresponding front pillar;

the fender upper member extends in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein each fender upper member includes: a first extension portion connected to the front end module, a second extension portion connected to the front pillar, and a shock absorber bracket mounted between the first extension portion and the second extension portion.

4. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3, wherein:

the first extension portion includes a first attachment member disposed at a rear thereof;

the second extension portion includes a second attachment member disposed at a front portion thereof;

the first extension portion and the second extension portion are attached to an outer surface of the shock absorber bracket to surround the shock absorber bracket.

5. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3, wherein:

the first and second extension portions comprise mass-produced steel pipes having closed cross-sections;

the cross-sectional area of the first extension portion is the same as the cross-sectional area of the second extension portion.

6. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3, wherein:

the shock absorber bracket comprises a first plate and a second plate arranged on the first plate;

the first and second plates combine to have a cavity defined therein.

7. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of connecting members that connect each fender upper member and the corresponding front side member in a height direction of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle front structure according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of connecting members includes a first connecting member that is near the front end module and a second connecting member that is spaced apart from the first connecting member toward the rear of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle front structure according to claim 8, wherein:

the first and second connection members comprise mass-produced steel pipes having closed cross-sections;

the cross-sectional area of the first connecting member is the same as the cross-sectional area of the second connecting member.

10. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein:

each front side member includes a pair of extension portions provided at a front end thereof;

a pair of extensions defining an opening therebetween;

each end of the bumper back beam is inserted into an opening of the corresponding front side member;

a pair of extension portions are coupled to ends of the bumper back beam.

11. The vehicle front structure according to claim 10, wherein each extending portion has a recess that faces the bumper back Liang Aojin.

12. The vehicle front structure according to claim 11, wherein each of the extended portions and the bumper back beam are fixed by connecting a fastener with the recessed portion.

13. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein each front side member comprises a mass-produced steel pipe having a closed cross section.

14. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein the bumper back beam includes a high tensile strength steel plate.

15. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein the pair of fender upper members are connected to the upper cross member by a pair of stay bars.

16. A vehicle front structure comprising:

a pair of front side members;

a bumper back beam connecting front ends of the pair of front side members; and

a front end module connected to a pair of front side members and a pair of fender upper members, wherein the front end module includes an upper member, a lower member located below the upper member, and a pair of side members connecting both ends of the upper member and both ends of the lower member, respectively.

17. The vehicle front structure according to claim 16, wherein each of the upper member, the lower member, and the pair of side members comprises a mass-produced steel pipe having a closed cross section.

18. The vehicle front structure according to claim 16, wherein:

the upper member and each side member having the same cross-sectional area;

the lower member has a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of the upper member and a cross-sectional area of the side member.

19. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body including a lower frame, a pair of front pillars arranged in front of the lower frame, a pair of roof rails connected to the pair of front pillars, respectively, a pair of windshield members extending obliquely from the pair of roof rails to the pair of fender upper members, and an upper cross member connecting the pair of front pillars;

a pair of front side members connected to the lower frame;

a pair of fender upper members disposed above the pair of front side members, respectively;

a bumper back beam connecting front ends of the pair of front side members; and

20. The vehicle according to claim 19, further comprising a plurality of connecting members connecting each fender upper member and a corresponding one of the pair of front side members in a height direction of the vehicle, wherein the plurality of connecting members includes a first connecting member that is close to the front end module and a second connecting member that is spaced apart from the first connecting member toward a rear of the vehicle.